Steering-wheel lock



.1. DE M'ARTENQ. ST'EERING WHEEL LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.2Gs EJQ ,365,066 Patented Jan. 18.1921.,

i UNITED STATES PATENfr oFFlcE.

*JOSEPH DE MARTINO. F CHICAGO. ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR T0 SIMPLX CORPORATION, 0F-CHICAGO. ILLINOIS. A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

" To ufl rczom it' may concern.'

y Be it known that l.. JosErH DE ltlan'rixo. a subject ofthe King of Italy, residing at I lQliiczdgti. in the countv of Cook and State ot lllinoi's have invented certain new and usetu'l Improvements in Stee11ng`ll'lieel Locks,

' oi which the following is a s})ecitication,

This invention relates tomeans wherchvY a steering wheel of a motor vehicle ma;T be locked in operative relation to'the steering shaft or tube, and maiT also be lockedout ot' operative relation to the shaft or tube so that the vehicle can not be guided thereby. It is particularlv applicable to automobiles having the steering wheel directlyy attached to the steering shaft, such for instance as the Dodge cars. although it is intended to be used wherever applicable. l In this connection it will be noted that the steering member which is operated 'by the steering wheel is in some instances. a `solid shaft. and in other instances a tube is used.

One ot the principal objects' otthis invention is to provide a steering wheel lockingdevice which not only locks the wheel in operative or inoperative position. but also locks itself so that it can notv be readil)v removed from the steering shaft. Another object is to provide a simple and convenient locking device which may beeconomicallv manufactured and which will be attractive in appearance. Other objects will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention;

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view showing the device as applied to a. steeringv shaft and with the wheel locked in raised or inoperative position;

Fig. is a. sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig is a sectional view as indicated by the arrows 3-3 on Fig. l.

As illustrated in' these drawings. -le reprei sents the steering shaft which is provided with any suitable means tor securing the steering wheel thereto.. In the present instance the shat't has u reduced end or seat G which is provided with a lewwav l" tor.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Jan. 1St 1921.

2G. 191B'. Serial NoA 347.486.

sleeve has one or more lugs or projectirms lt) at the upper end thereot' 'torrengagement with an4 interlocking part which will presently be described This sleeve is held in position b v suitable kevs and also bv a nut ll which. enga 0es with the threaded end ot the shaft This nut is preterabliv round and Iitsin a recess 12 in the end ot' the sleeve and is provided with Spanner slots 13. The .sleeve 9 is also provided with two annular' grooves lvl and l5.

A cap or cup shaped locking member 1G tits over the sleeve 9 and is longitudinall.)v

and rotatablvmovable thereon. This member'is threaded at its upper end to receive a plug or head 1T which is provided withslots or recesses 1S tor engagement with the lugs lt). IThis plug has a stem 19 which corresponds with the upper end of 4the shaft -l and has a seat which is adapted to receive the steering wheel 5 which is held b v means of a ltev 2O and nut Q1. The plug 1T is securelv fastened to the cap lG bv means of blind pins Q2. or b v. soldering or brazing. It will be noted that the plug and cap 16 ma)v be formed integrallv. but tor conven` ience in manufacture I preterto malte them 'separately These parts form an extension for the shaft et. and provide a duplicate seat for the steering wheel so that the ordinarv wheel may be used without any change. but will be somewhat higher when applied tov the extension than when in its original position on the sha tt. The plug 1T has a center hole 23 for receiving' a compression spring 2l. This spring presses against the upper end of the shaft l and against the plug. and tends to hold the plug and parts attachedI thereto in normallv raised position. as shown in Fig. l. at which time the wheel is disconnected trom operative relation with the steering shaft. lt ma)- be locked in this position bv means ot a locking' bolt 25 which is mounted in a bar rel or projection 26 on the cap 1G and which may be operated b v means ot anv suitable locking mechanism (not shown). This bolt mav engrge with either ot the grooves il or 'l5 and i cut awa)v as shown at 27. so that when it is turned the cut awuv portion will register' I titl cap into the grooves 14C' and 15, the spandrel or projection between these groot being slightly lower than` the surface ofthe sleeve, so that the screw will not interfere with the limited movement of the cap. v

With the Iparts, arranged as shown in Fig. 1, the wheelg is free-to spin without actuating' the'steering.,lshaft.' When the drmerV the locking bolt into engagement with the groove ljwhich willv hold the parts with thewheel in driving position. When he again wishes tolock the vehicle, he turns the bo1t'25'to release the cap and the spri 24; wil1' 'raise the cap andrwheel to the original position where it may be again'locked. lt willbe noted that when the cap. is locked in either. position, thereisno way to getv access togthenut 'll-1 to removethe same andconsequently the entire device is automatically locked on the steering shaft.. From this'descriptiom it. will be-seen that I provide an extension for'thevfsteering shaft onpost 4, 'with aduplicate seater end for thesteering wheel, and means for locking this extension so that it will turn the' steering shaft or post or be disengaged-therefrom, 'and believe that I am the first to provide such an extension or 'arrangement whereby the same steering wheel may be used without being changed. It will, Vof course be apparent that some fastening member other than the'- Vnut 11' may be used for fastening the sleeve onthe shaft, and it wil-l also be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction in order to adapt-the device to different lautomobiles or motor vehicles, and therefore l do not wish to be limited to the' exact arrangement herein shown 'and described except as setV forth in the following claims, .in which I claim:

l. In a steering wheel lock, the combina tion of asleeve for engagement with the 11pper end of the steering shaft and having one or more lugs *at its upper end, a cap fitting over said sleeve and having' recesses in the head thereof for receiving said projections, a stem on said cap for receiving the steering wheel, Vand means for locking the cap with the lugs either in engagement with said recesses or out of engagement therewith.

j'. 2. A. locking device of the character set forth comprising a sleeve, means for fastening the sleeve on a steering post, a cap fitting over said sleeve, means for locking said cap in either raised orlowered position, intercate of the upper end of the loclzins` members on the. sleeve and ca p which are adapted to interlock when the cap is in lowered position, and means for securing the steering wheel to the cap.

3. The combination of :i collar for engagement with a steering shaft, means for. fastening the collar to the shaft, said collar having two annular circumferential grooves, a cap fitting over sui-d collar, n boltlin seid cap for yeiigagement with said grooves for locking the cap in raised or lowered position, clutch members on the cap and collar i'or engagement when. the cap is in lowered position,x and :i stein on said cap for receiving the steering wheel said stem being'a duplistcering .shaft whereby the wheel n'niy be secured thereto without being changed. el. In a steering wheel lock, the combination of a collar for engagement with the steering shaft, a nut engaging with the shall forholding the collar said collar lmving` pro ljections 'at its upper end and having :mnular grooves in its outer surface, a cylndrical member fitting over said collar and having' a head in the upper end thereof said head being provided with means for engaging said projections, :i holt in said cvlin drical member for engagement with su id grooves, locking' means for said bolt, a siem on said head, means for securing tho steering' wheel to the stem, a spring interposed .between the head and the steering shaft tending to raise the head and parts connected thereto, and means for fastening the cylindrical member to the collar while permitting the necessary movement between these parts. v

5. The combination with a steering shaft, of a collar at the upper end thereof said collar having annular' grooves in its outer surface, a cylindrical cap-like member litting` over said collar and end,`said inenibcr having slidablc and rolzitable movement on the collar, u. locking bolt in said member adapted to engage with the respective grooves, :in interlocking device for locking the member to the collar when in lowered position, means for fastening the steering wheel to said member, :1nd resilient means tending to hold the member in raised position.

6. The combination with :i steering shaft, of a collar at its upper end, a closed cap fitting over said collar` interlocking means between the cap and collar, :i locking device for holding the cap in locked position or with the interlocking means disengaged, :i ,a

lost motion connection between the cap :ind collar, and means for fastening a steering wheel to the cap.

JCSEPH DE lvlARTlNO.

closed at its upper A il ii 

